New Britain Rock Cats Social Media Campaign Raises More Than $1,500 To Support Fight Against MS

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July 30, 2013|Karen E. Butler, The National MS Society, Connecticut Chapter, New Britain

On a recent visit to the New Britain Rock Cats stadium in New Britain, Alison Gochman, community relations manager for the baseball team, and Jeff Garner, the team's executive vice president, present a check for $1,531 to Karen Butler, vice president of communications with the National MS Society, Connecticut Chapter, and Jacqueline Sembor, the chapter's communications specialist. The donation resulted from a social media contest hosted by the Rock Cats in June. Rock Cats Facebook fans were asked to vote for their charity of choice among three featured, which included the National MS Society, Connecticut Chapter. After being selected charity of choice, the chapter was invited to help host Social Media Night at the team's July 11 game against the Trenton Thunder. For every person who attended over 2,500, the chapter received a $1 donation from the Rock Cats.

The July 11 game attracted more than 4,000 guests resulting in a donation of $1,532. Garner, a resident of Old Lyme, has been with the team for almost two years. He has worked with several other minor league teams, including the State College Spikes, located on the campus of Pennsylvania State University in State College, and the Myrtle Beach Pelicans, out of Myrtle Beach, S.C. Gochman, who lives in Middletown, teamed up with the Rock Cats in December after working for the Camden Riversharks, an American professional baseball team located in Camden, N.J. The pair spearheaded the innovative social media campaign, which also resulted in attracting hundreds of new Facebook fans. Butler, Manchester, and Sembor, Broad Brook, oversee social media networking and marketing for the National MS Society, Connecticut Chapter. For more information on the New Britain Rock Cats or to become a Facebook fan of the team, visit http://www.rockcats.com. For more information on the National MS Society, Connecticut Chapter, and the many ways to join the fight against multiple sclerosis, visit http://www.ctfightsMS.org.